Shirt-folding mechanism with sleeve end-controlling arm



Sept. 25, 1962 c. E. PIILOLA 3,055,553

SHIRT-FOLDING MECHANISM WITH SLEEVE END-CONTROLLING ARM Filed April 20, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

C141. w/v E. Pl/LOLA BY a Jim ATTORNEY p 1962 c. E. PIILOLA I 3,055,563

SHIRT-FOLDING MECHANISM WITH SLEEVE END-CONTROLLING ARM Filed April 20, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 INVENTOR. 35 34 CAL w/v E. PM OLA A ro/ma atent Patented Sept. 25, 1962 fitice 3,055,563 SHiRT-FOLDING MECHANISM WITH SLEEVE END-CGNTROLLING ARM Calvin E. Piilola, Salt Lfle City, Utah, assignor, by mesne assignments, to McGraw-Edison Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 20, 196i), Ser. No. 23,418 10 Claims. (Cl. 223-37) This invention relates to shirt-folding mechanism and has for an object to provide novel and improved means in such mechanism for so folding the sleeves of a shirt that the ends or culfs thereof are in flat condition within the folds and not so disarranged that the same may become crushed and, therefore, undesirable for donning as being inadequately laundered.

Another object of the invention is to provide shirtfolding mechanism that, in addition to the usual two sets of sleeve-folding arms, utilizes a fifth arm that so controls the folding of one sleeve end and performs a flattening or sliding movement over the other sleeve end, that the cuffs at both sleeve ends are in unwrinkled or uncrushed condition upon completion of the shirtfolding mechanism.

The present improvements are based on a shirt-folding mechanism such as illustrated in Patent No. 2,913,156, issued November 17, 1959, and, of course, may be utilized on machines varying somewhat therefrom but having the same purpose, that of folding shirts having sleeves, whether or not the sleeve ends have cuffs.

The invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description. However, the drawings merely show and the following description merely describes, one embodiment of the present invention, which is given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawings, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view, with the base thereof broken away, of a shirt-folding table according to the present invention, the same having the folding arms in position just prior to beginning of the folding operation.

FIG. 2 is a similar view with the arms moved to partly folded position.

FIG. 3 is a similar view with the arms in the position thereof at the end of the folding operation.

FIG. 4 is a broken side view of the table with the parts in the position of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the operating drive connection between the fifth or control arm and the drive for the folding arms.

The machine that is illustrated in the drawings is provided with a base that has a top 11. In practice, the operator places a shirt to be folded, front down and flat upon the top 11, with the sleeves overhanging the right and left edges 12. In practice, the table top is provided with a collar form (not shown) on which the shirt collar is mounted, thereby locating the shirt in proper position relative to the rearward edge 13 of the top 11 and centered with respect to the top edges 12.

Beyond the table top edge 13, there is disposed a unit 14 that is enclosed in a housing 15 and is carried by the base 10 by means of a bracket 16. Said unit 14 is mounted on a pivot 17 on said bracket so that the same is adapted to be tilted between the operative position shown in the drawings and a rearward position with the upper end thereof away from the table end 13.

The interior mechanism of the unit 14 is not illustrated, since the same forms no part of the present invention and may, for example, be similar to the mechanism shown in said Patent No. 2,913,156. It is sufficient for the present purposes to say that the unit 14 centrally fixedly mounts a thin flat plate 18 that, in the positi n shown, has overstanding relation to the rear portion of the table top 11 and is raised up above said top when the unit 14 is tilted rearwardly, as above explained. It is also sufficient to say that the unit 14, on a pivot 19, mounts a left sleeve-folding arm 20; on a pivot 21, a right sleeve-folding arm 22; on a pivot 23, a left shoulderfolding arm 24; and on a pivot 25, a right shoulderfolding arm 26; that said arms 20 and 22 are moved substantially together by means within the unit 14; and said arms 24 and 26 are moved subsequently in respective sequence, first arm 24 and then arm 26.

The shirt, of course, is placed on the table top while the unit 14 is tilted back and the plate 18 is raised. In this position, the arms are spread as in FIG. 1. The operator now tilts the unit 14 forward, bringing the plate 18 on top of the shirt, and sees to it that the sleeve-ends fall within the arms 20, and 22, i.e., between said arms and the base 10. Next, the arms 20 and 22 are swung upwardly to bend the shirt sleeves over the arms 24 and 26. The usual operation has the arm 20 somewhat in advance of the arm 22 so that the left sleeve is folded onto the top of the plate 18 and the right sleeve onto the top of the left sleeve. Now, the arms 24 and 26, in respective sequence, are folded over in much the same way, causing the shoulders of the shirt to double over the folded sleeves.

The operator completes the folding of the shirt by manually folding the shirt tail rearwardly over the shirt as above folded by the arms. Now, the shirt may be banded or the unit 14 tilted back to raise the plate 18 with the folded shirt thereon so that a transparent bag may be slipped over the shirt. Whether banded or enclosed in a bag, the folded shirt may now be slipped forwardly off the plate 18 and arms 20, 22, 24 and 26. Now, the arms may be opened to the position of FIG. 1, preparatory to the next folding operation.

Of course, the more rapidly the arms are moved, the faster the shirt-folding operation. Thus, the movements of the arms 20 and 22 are so timed that the former swings in just ahead of the latter. Thus, as can be seen in FIG. 2, with the line 7--7 representing the position of the shirt on the table top 12, the left sleeve 28 will be folded over the end of arm 24 by the arm 20 with the sleeve end or cuff 29. This eflicient folding of the left sleeve 28 and its doubled-back cuif 29 is aided by the right arm 22 as the same swings over the arm 20 and traps or keeps the cuff 29 folded back over the left arm 20 and flatwise upon the left sleeve 28.

The right sleeve 30 will be folded over the end of the arm 26 by the right arm 22, the sleeve end or cuff 31 being folded back. Due to the centrifugal forces involved, said cuff 31, in prior machines, was free to fly outwardly. Thus, when the arms 20 and 22 have completed their sleeve-folding movement, the left cuff 29 may or may not be folded back, or may not be flattened, if folded back. Thus, the left cuff 29 may become crushed or become wrinkled in either position thereof. The right cuff 31 then is folded back with the foldingover of the left shoulder of the shirt by the arm 24.

According to the present invention, the above generally described machine is provided with a control arm 32 that, by engaging the right cuff 31 or the sleeve 30 adjacent to said cuff, retains the latter against indeterminate motion and final position and folds the same back onto the sleeve 30 in desired flatwise condition. It will be noted that said arm 32a fifth armhas substantially the same movement as arm 22, moving with the latter arm from open to folded position.

Accordingly, the pivot 21 of arm 22 is connected by gearing 33 to the pivot 34 of arm 32 on a one-to-one basis, the idler gear 35, shown in FIG. 5, causing said pivots 21 and 34 to turn in the same direction together, both when folding and opening. As shown in FIG. 1, the open position of arm 32 has the said arm above and outside of the arm 22 when the latter is open. As a consequence, when the two arms 22 and 32 swing upwardly to fold the right sleeve, the arm 32 overstands the cuff 31, as shown in FIG. 2, and retains the same folded back over the arm 22. Then, when the arms reach the folded position of FIG. 3, the sleeve end or cuff 31 will be held flat by arm 32. It will be realized, therefore, that upon subsequent folding movement of the shoulder-folding arms 24 and 26, the shoulder portions of the shirt 27 will fold the shirt on the side edges of plate 18 flatwise over the now smoothly folded sleeves.

It will be noted that the control arm 32 imposes a slight drag on the arm end 31, thereby keeping the sleeve 30 straight and with some tautness which acts, as can be seen, to smooth over and lay down the left sleeve end 29 therebeneath.

While the foregoing specification illustrates and describes what I now contemplate to be the best mode of carrying out my invention, the construction is, of course, subiect to modification without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Therefore, I do not desire to restrict the invention to the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but desire to cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a shirt-folding table having two arms movable on separate axes to fold the sleeves of a shirt that is disposed flatwise on said table, over the body of the shirt with the sleeve ends folded back on the sleeves, the improvement that comprises a control arm mounted on an axis spaced from the mentioned axes and which is movable together with one of said two arms to overstand and to engage the folded-back sleeve end on said one arm to hold said sleeve taut and to frictionally retain the same in fiat unwrinkled position when folded down upon the shirt body, and means to mechanically drive the control arm from one of the two sleeve-folding arms.

2. In a shirt-folding table having two arms movable on separate axes to fold the sleeves of a shirt that is disposed flatwise on said table, over the body of the shirt with the sleeve ends folded back on the sleeves, the improvement that comprises a control arm mounted on an axis spaced from the mentioned axes and which is movable together with one of said two arms to overstand and to engage the folded-back sleeve end on said one arm to hold said sleeve taut and to frictionally retain the same in flat unwrinkled position when folded down upon the shirt body, and means to mechanically drive the control arm from the sleeve-folding arm with which it moves.

3. In a shirt-folding table having two arms to fold the sleeves of a shirt that is disposed flatwise on said table, over the body of the shirt with the sleeve ends folded back on the sleeves and with two additional arms to subsequently fold the shoulder portions of the shirt over the folded sleeves, the improvement that comprises a fifth arm that is movable together with one of the two first-mentioned arms to overstand and to engage the folded-back sleeve end on said one arm to hold said sleeve taut and to frictionally retain the same in fiat unwrinkled position when folded down upon the shirt body and when subsequently covered over by the folded-over shoulder portions of the shirt, said fifth arm and the arm with which it is movable being mounted on adjacent and parallel axes, and means to mechanically drive the fifth arm from one of the two sleeve-folding arms.

4. In a shirt-folding table having two arms to fold the sleeves of a shirt that is disposed flatwise on said table over the body of the shirt with the sleeve ends folded back on the sleeves and with two additional arms to subsequently fold the shoulder portions of the shirt over the folded sleeves, the improvement that comprises a fifth arm that is movable together with one of the two firstmentioned arms to overstand and to engage the foldedback sleeve end on said one arm to hold said sleeve taut and to frictionally retain the same in flat unwrinkled position when folded down upon the shirt body and when subsequently covered over by the folded-over shoulder portions of the shirt, said fifth arm and the arm with which it is movable being mounted on adjacent and parallel axes, and means to mechanically drive the fifth arm from the sleeve-folding arm with which it moves.

5. In combination, a sleeve-folding arm mounted on one axis to fold a sleeve over a shirt body with the sleeve end folded back on the sleeve, 21 control arm mounted on a parallel axis to overstand and engage the sleeve end during folding movement of the sleeve-folding arm to retain the sleeve end folded back on the sleeve, and means connecting said arms to move them together on their respective axes.

6. In combination, a sleeve-folding arm mounted on one axis to fold a sleeve over a shirt body with the sleeve end folded back on the sleeve, a control arm mounted on a parallel axis to overstand and engage the sleeve end during folding movement of the sleeve-folding arm to retain the sleeve end folded back on the sleeve, and means connecting said arms to move them together on their respective axes, said arms being substantially parallel during the entire movement thereof between beginning and sleeve-folded positions.

7. In combination, a sleeve-folding arm mounted on one axis to fold a sleeve over a shirt body with the sleeve end folded back on the sleeve, a control arm mounted on a parallel axis to overstand and engage the sleeve end during folding movement of the sleeve-folding arm to retain the sleeve end folded back on the sleeve, and a one-to-one drive connection between the arms whereby the same move together at the same speed.

8. In a shirt-folding table having first and second pivoted arms to fold the sleeves of a shirt, that is disposed flatwise on said table, over the body of the shirt with the sleeve ends folded back on the sleeves and means being provided to pivotally move the first arm ahead of the second arm to fold the sleeve folded by said first arm over the sleeve folded by said second arm, the improvement that comprises a third pivoted arm on a center of pivotal movement offset from the center of pivotal movement of said second arm, and a driving connection between said second and third arms to pivotally move the latter arms together to overstand and engage the folded end of the sleeve folded by the second arm to tautly and frictionally hold said sleeve end in flat condition upon the shirt body.

9. In sleeve-folding mechanism, a folding arm mounted on a pivotal axis and movable on said axis to engage a sleeve of a shirt intermediate its shoulder and cuff ends to fold the main portion of the sleeve adjacent the shoulder end over the shirt body while the cuff end of the sleeve, being free during such folding of the sleeve, doubles back, under centrifugal force, to overlie said main portion of the sleeve, a control arm mounted on a pivotal axis adjacent and parallel to the axis of the folding ann, means interconnecting the two arms to simultaneously move the same on their respective axes to bring the control arm into retention engagement with the doubled-back cuff end of the sleeve to hold said end flat against the main portion of the sleeve, and means to drive one of said arms.

10. In a shirt-folding table having two arms movable on separate axes on opposite sides of the table to swing inwardly across a shirt on the table to fold the sleeves of said shirt over the body thereof with the sleeve ends doubled back on the respective sleeves, means being provided to move one of said arms ahead of the other arm so that one sleeve is folded under the other sleeve, the improvement that comprises a control arm mounted on an axis spaced from and adjacent to the axis of said other arm and simultaneously movable therewith to overstand and engage the doubled-back end of the upper sleeve to 10 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Neckel Dec. 20, 1955 Campbell et a1. July 14, 1959 

